Soli-Lunar Astrology thru Mark S. McNutt

Soli Lunar Astrology returns us to the original and ancient template of using the seasons, denoted by the Sun sings, coupled with the lunations of the Moon. This balances the masculine and feminine dance of co-creative dance of the heavens in an ever-spiraling kaleidoscope of will and emotion. There are twelve signs a year, three each in the four seasons, and these represent the qualities of the four elements and the solar seasonal flow in the northern hemisphere. Then there are 13 and 1/3 lunar cycles per year, which embodies the irrational and creative cycles of the Moon, emotion, fluctuation, change, and magick that balances the order of the universe with cycles of change. The New Moon always begins the outpouring if the emotions and direction that the planets dance thru as seen from the Earth, and order is always countered with non-linear circles. While Astrology has for a long time sought to explain the circle to the linear aspect of ourselves that seek order and familiarity, the creativity of what unfolds has to do as much with the mystery of the indefinable that goes beyond logic and is the soulmate thereof.

Astrology for Bel times

Happy birthday to all of you Tauruses!
We move into the stimulation of Springtime with Sun and Moon at the end of Aries and moving into Taurus, the Fixed sign of determination and Earth plane grounding thru strong effort and reliability. But first, a few words about Beltane-
Mid-Spring was known in Europe and elsewhere in the Northern Hemisphere as the Bel Temps, or good times, and is one of the sources of the word Beltane.
Most Astrologers believe that energy radiates outward from the middle of the fixed signs, going to the beginning and end of the season. It does not begin with the beginning of the season and march forward in a linear manner, that is just the way our rational (male) minds construct movement. Seasonal energy is more like ripples or waves issuing from a central point and that is the middle of the fixed signs (Taurus the Bull, Leo the Lion, Scorpio the Eagle, Aquarius the Humyn or Angel). These are also called the Cross Quarters. This is why the Bible and other esoteric documents symbolize these 4 creatures as a projection of 3d reality to our symbol oriented minds.
There is also a link with the Lunar cycle and Pagan year which begins at Samhain (All Saint’s Day, the day after All Hallowed Evening or Halloween), but this really used to be 11/5 or so, and the time around then which is based on the Lunar cycle of the New Moon at mid-Fall. The Pagan calendar follows also a Lunar cycle beginning at Samhain (mid Fall Cross Quarter) and proceeds thru the eight Lunar phases during the 8 Solar holidays of the year; denoted by the beginning of each season and its’ cross quarter in the middle of that season. So Beltane is the joy of Spring exemplified, as summer is expressed in early August and Winter in early February for example. As the Moon phases are followed symbolically, Beltane is the time of the flower, the Full Moon, and we celebrate the pollination after maximum fertility is reached.
So then Solar Beltane is around 5/5, but often Pagans speak of Lunar Beltane, which is the time of the Full Moon in the middle of Spring, always a Moon in Scorpio which implies the mood of sexual fertility and balanced with the sensuality of Taurus. This is why it is such a Bel time. The ritual of Beltane celebrates life coming into full fertility in the garden and in our own beings. Life, death, and sexuality are transformative partners in the walk of life.

Astrology for Bel Times

As I am writing this column with Beltane on my mind, we start with the Full Moon which is 5/2, and the recent events leading up to it.
The last weekend in April has a waxing Moon moving into fullness on 5/2 in Scorpio. We can expect the first half of this Lunar month to be full of spontaneous activity that hopefully rains down into fundamental grounded change and slow earthening of what we wish to project and create in our worlds. Practical solutions and following thru on your commitments are highly potent now. Picture the bees being very busy with their work and stimulated by the potency of promise and act accordingly.
Mercury enters Taurus on 4/27 which then grounds the stimulated mind into practical matters which include awareness of budget and practical plan making. This Astrological environment is stimulated by a kaleidoscope of fundamental change brought forth by the following-
Pluto beginning its’ retrograde in early April. This means that Pluto is not moving much at all, then backwards for the entire month. This stationary motion renders Pluto (transformation, deep change, soul searching and truth seeking) to be more like a photograph than a movie,. Stay tuned in the end of August for how this plays out under the eclipses, etc (And attend the Creation Festival at Aerious-YewWood for further transformation 8/23-26).
Saturn and Jupiter have also been stationary this month (see previous column). Saturn has to do with grounding and commitment, and boundaries; while Jupiter expresses the opposite- freedom, expansion, and unbridled self expression. These two planets are once again in trine which is very favorable for letting go of the past and moving forward once the stationary is over. This provides renewed enthusiasm and generates opportunities for expansion, growth, fun, and liberation of spirit. Depending on your personal horoscope, one or the other will be pronounced-grounding or expansion, commitment or liberation, or both They are cooperating now in the reshuffling and it is a Bel time to take advantage of thru taking action in the coming weeks.
Most important, there is a T Square/Grand Cross involving at least four planets between 4/25-30 which is strong and dramatic, especially for mutable signs. Mars is in conjunction with Uranus and the North Lunar Node in Pisces, which denotes taking sudden and unexpected action and bringing forth unexpected karmic changes in path and direction.. Expect the unexpected and pay (give) attention!
Venus is in Gemini in Square with these, and squares are stress points in the horoscope that squeeze forth change. Venus has to do with most aspects of life that people get readings for- love, money success, social life, fertility, and matters of the heart. Gemini denotes duality, mental activity, and the social butterfly. This is not a good time for making commitments such as marriage as words and actions are unreliable. Depend on yourself and no other but have fun. Venus is in opposition with Jupiter in Sagittarius. Your personal dualistic, contradictory, stimulating effects of this time vary greatly and a sound bite sentence to sum it all up just won’t do (at least from this Virgo Moon Astrologer). Suffice to say that socially and romantically, the deck is being reshuffled and that the ability to be in the moment, walking with your personal truth and dharma while participating in the social dance, is paramount. A good time for social outreach and dancing into the future.
These combined aspects can cause stress and challenge, but may be fleeting, They mostly affect the mutable signs of Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, and Pisces with Gemini and Pisces shining with it and Virgo getting somewhat frustrated generally speaking. When I mention this, I am speaking to those who have these signs as Sun, Moon, Rising, or in this case Mars or Venus. (Attend one of my classes or get a personal reading for more in depth coverage of this short term time.
This energy settles down a bit after it peaks under the Beltane aspects of 4/25-5/4. My general brief advice- have lots of fun, be social, but remember your responsibilities and ties to the rest of your life. When Venus enters Cancer on 5/8, it just might settle down a bit, but I wouldn’t rely on that, it is just words and not experience. Go experience life and the Bel times.
Mark S McNutt